Trends in education in Northern England during the eighteenth century :a biographical study

Abstract

The education of the intellectual elite of the eighteenth century. The eighteenth century has been neglected in studies of the history of English education. The great pioneers of this field, Leach and Foster-Watson concentrated their efforts upon the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Their work, supplemented by the monumental researches of Jordan, provided the factual basis for later interpretations of the educational trends in England before 1660. However little of their writings concerned the eighteenth century and no other scholar of the same stature repaired this omission. There were indeed specialist studies of certain facets of education between 1660 and 1800. The dissenting academies were described in some detail, by Parker and McLachlan, the charity schools found their historiographer in Miss Jones, and eighteenth century. Cambridge was lovingly delineated by Winstanley. The rise of the public schools was examined by E. C. Mack. The education available for women was discussed by Miss Gardiner. A few unpublished theses also dealt with eighteenth century aspects of education. Little however was written until very recently about endowed or private schools, although these were numerically far more important.